Acoma Pueblo Pottery

The
potters of Acoma have long made a fine, thin-walled ware in two decorative forms:
an older polychrome style with red and black designs on a white background and
a more recently developed black on white style. The polychrome most often includes
both geometric forms and naturalistic designs of birds, deer, and flowers, while
the black on white primarily has geometric patterns, many of which are inspired
by some prehistoric Anasazi black on white pottery designs.The old short-necked
water jar commonly called an olla was
once the most characteristic vessel form of the pueblo, but today the potters
make every conceivable shape. The beautiful polychrome olla (10 1/2" high)
on the upper left is the work of Lucy Lewis, one of the best-known Acoma potters.
It has her signature parrot design on it. The two ollas on the right are examples
of the black on white style. Both are 10 1/2 inches high.

Below you see a range of other forms of Acoma pottery, including the
black on white fine-line hatchure style. The wedding jar on the upper left
is by Jessie Garcia and features the "deer with heartline" design.
Next to it is a miniature black on white seed jar by Dorothy Torivio, who
has made this intricate pattern a specialty of hers. The tall jar on the
lower left is decorated in the fine-line hatchure style sometimes called
"op art" (optical illusion). This piece is an example of a greenware,
slip-cast blank, not made by hand,but certainly handpainted. Some Acoma
potters have turned to thebuying greenware and decorating it, but the
very best potters and the traditionalists still do everything by hand from
start to finish.On the lower right, the small bird effigy bowl with the
braided handle is a "tourist" piece, made to appeal to the souvenier-hunter.